Free Essay: Who Is Watching? Thinking Ethically About Observing Children

Just how much of a child's life is private? Who has the right to monitor? What judgments are being formed; and what decisions are being made on their behalf?

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Every day, educators observe record conversations, and capture images of children for analysis and reflection, to guide their curriculum decisions and inform their understanding.

While every step is taken to ensure children's confidentiality and privacy, how often is the perspective of the child considered?

Introduction to your observation experience working with toddlers between the age of and 20 and 23 months was a wonderful experience for me. I was privileged to interact with them and observe their behavior in such a way that I could compare and contrast their characters. This report presents a reflection of my experiences. In particular, I present the observations I made on various aspects of learning that I believe has shaped my attitude towards children and the teaching practice. Therefore, they reflection goes beyond explaining my experiences and the observation I made by showing how each observation influenced my viewpoint and my career in the future.

Types of observations conducted

How you conducted your observationsWorking with toddlers is an excellent experience. When I first met the, my intention was observe their behaviours and compare them. Therefore, I took my time observing how the subjects interacted with each other. Also, I paid attention to their interaction with their educators in a bid to gain insights on their characters. In my view, a firsthand observation is critical in discovering the specific behaviours and actions. In doing so, I was able to gain in-depth insights regarding their social skills and ability to communicate with their educators.

How you managed your data collection

The collection of data was a critical step in my research since it provided the primary data I needed to develop a case. However, I discovered that managing of data is a challenging integral part of research that contributes significantly to the success of the research. For example, using an observational method was a challenging task since I had to record the most relevant behaviours for each participant. As part of data management, I followed several steps meant for the organisation of qualitative data. First, I checked for accuracy and maintained a uniform arrangement to facilitate analysis. In particular, I arranged field notes in a thematic way based on the events and activities. Second, I organized the data by combining data in the thematic arrangement.

How you used your observations for understanding:Curriculum

The observation I made provided a crucial opportunity for me to understand the curriculum that educators were using. Working with toddlers was an excellent experience that allowed me to understand most appropriate curriculum for them. When I first met the, my intention was observe their behaviours and compare them. I note how various aspects of curriculum policies are observed. For instance, program learning opportunity was paramount, as teachers carefully selected the best practices and learning activities that match with the children's age and level of education. Also, I paid attention to their interaction with their educators in a bid to gain insights on how the children were reacting to the curriculum. In my view, a firsthand observation is critical in discovering the appropriateness of a curriculum.

Planning learning activities

Planning learning activities was yet another crucial issues that I learned by closely paying attention to the educators. I used the observation to understand how educators taught the children what they need to know, understand, or do. It was a satisfying experience to seek how educators planned learning activities in advance and came up with clearly defined modules. I took time to observe how the children responded to the learning process. The observations gave me a hint of which learning activities are best for toddlers between 1-5 and 3 years. For example, I noticed the level of concentration and eagerness to learn. It is amazing how educators employed various activities as part of learning to make learning an enjoyable experience for everyone. In particular, I had a chance to observe children works including paintings, hand prints, and shapes collage. From these activities, I understood the need to determine what individual students are capable of doing during various learning activities.

Child development

Understanding the process of child development is critical for educators. My interaction with the children was a very important opportunity to understand the cognitive capacity of children around the age of 20 months. For example, I admired the smartness and the exceptional fine cognitive and motor skills of Child A. Comparing their skills made it possible to identify the best approach to handle them. For example, observing child development was critical in understanding how educators teach children what they need to know based on their cognitive abilities. I observed how the educators planned learning activities in advance and came up with clearly defined modules that match with the specific age group. Interestingly, the children demonstrated different capacity, especially when it comes to concentration and ability to understand concepts. For example, I noticed the level of concentration and eagerness to learn different from one child to the other. I discovered that children within that age range require special individualized attention based on their cognitive abilities. Educators employed various activities which matched with the children's developmental stage.

Children's play

I discovered that watching children with an open mind helps in understanding the richness of their play as well as interactions. In particular, I discovered how children around the age of two years act and play with each other. For example, I took time to understand why Child B kept his favourite toy for himself while Child D always snatched toys from other children. I discovered the unique characters in each child and how they enjoyed play differently. Therefore, the observations on child play opened my eyes to see beyond the activities. Instead, I saw toddlers that use their play time to express their viewpoint and engage each other. Interestingly, I discovered that some children are just interested with the liveliness of the play time rather than playing with each other. I saw a group of children playing alone while at the same time enjoying the company of others. This explains why Child D snatched toys from others 19 times in just four days. Apparently, he was interested about playing with others by wanted to enjoy the pay time by taking others' toys.

Children's interests

I discovered that children have different interests when it comes to play, toys, and engaging with adults. When I first met the, my intention was to observe their interests and how the educators are handling them. Also, I paid attention to their interaction others and their educators. Doing so was critical in understanding the need for appreciating learners' interests and using their interests to tailor the learning process. One of the education, curriculum, and learning policies is responsible teaching and scaffolding. With responsive teaching, it is critical for educators to respond to learners' ideas and interests when it comes to play. On the same note, extending children learning through open-ended questions and allowing them to express their interests is critical in facilitating responsible learning. Therefore, the observations I made regarding learners interests shaped my viewpoint on the best way to engage learners and take advantage of their interests to make sure they remain attentive and responsive.

Children's rights

The observations gave me insights on children rights and the need of educator to pay close attention to each child. It was a satisfying experience to seek how educators gave each learner the support e or she needed. I noticed that educators are always keen on treating all the children equally. For example, one of the children was always close to a teacher. However, the educator made sure that other students get what they needed without bias. The observations gave me a hint of which children rights that toddlers between 1-5 and 3 years need. Therefore, the observation gave me an idea of how to employ child-directed learning to ensure that the riht to education is achieved.

Your role as a professional

As a professional, observing children's behaviors keenly was a golden opportunity for me to become a better educator. For me, interacting with the children was important for me to learn the best way to handle learners at that age. For example, each learner was different in terms of behaviours and what they needed. This realization will help me to handle a class of handling many learners. Importantly, I will always remember to give them individualized assistance based on their specific needs. In doing so, I will ensure that every child becomes better, especially when it comes to behaviours.